1. (Field of the Invention)
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for dewatering channels (or ducts) of an endoscope used such as for medical purposes, after disinfecting and washing the channels. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for dewatering channels by moving water droplets with a pressure of air supplied into the channels, so as to be discharged from outlets of the individual channels.
2. (Related Art)
In examining and treating a body cavity of an object to be examined, endoscopic therapy using an endoscope apparatus is now an indispensable modality. Use of an endoscope apparatus for such an examination and treatment involves attachment of garbage not only to an outer surface of an insert part of an endoscope to be inserted into a body cavity, but also to endoscope channels, such as an air-water supply channel (hereinafter referred to as an “AW channel”) formed inside the insert part or a manipulation tool insertion channel that also serves as a suction channel (hereinafter referred to as an “S channel”). Therefore, a used endoscope requires, without fail, washing/disinfection not only for its outer surface but also for the interior of each of the channels.
Generally, when performing washing/disinfection of an endoscope using a washing/disinfecting apparatus, a used endoscope is accommodated and set in a washing/disinfecting vessel of the washing/disinfecting apparatus first.
Then, a channel connector port of the endoscope channel, which is opened in an outer surface of the endoscope to wash/disinfect the interior of the endoscope channel is connected, through a tube, for example, to a port provided in the washing/disinfecting vessel, which port supplies fluid, such as liquid or gas, into the endoscope.
For example, a channel connector port of the AW channel of the endoscope is connected to a first port of the washing/disinfecting vessel through a first washing tube. Similarly, a channel connector port of the S channel of the endoscope is connected to a second port of the washing/disinfecting vessel through a second washing tube.
Then, after closing a cover of the washing/disinfecting vessel, a starting switch is turned on. Then, a washing step is started, first, based on a washing/disinfecting program imparted in advance to the washing/disinfecting apparatus, which is then followed by a disinfecting step, in the washing step, washing liquid is supplied into the washing/disinfecting vessel first. When the washing liquid has reached a predetermined level, washing is started. The washing liquid is circulated so that the outer surface of the endoscope is washed by the stream.
In this case, the washing liquid in the washing/disinfecting vessel that has been sucked by a circulating pump is alternately discharged from the first port and the second port with the aid of an on-off valve, whereby the washing liquid is introduced through the individual tubes and the individual channel connector ports into the AW channel and the S channel. It will be appreciated that, by turning a switch, the washing liquid may be simultaneously discharged from the first and the second ports. In this way, the interiors of the AW channel and the S channel are washed by the introduced washing liquid.
After finishing the washing step, disinfecting liquid is supplied, at the subsequent disinfecting step, into the AW channel and the S channel in the same way as in supplying the washing liquid to perform disinfection of the outer surface of the endoscope and the interiors of the channels. Then, rinsing water is supplied in the same way again as in supplying the washing liquid to rinse the outer surface of the endoscope and the interiors of the channels.
Finally, at a drying step, in the same manner as in supplying the washing liquid and the disinfecting liquid, high-pressure air is supplied into the AW channel and the S channel for a predetermined period of time, (e.g., 15 seconds) by using an air supply apparatus, such as a compressor, so as to accelerate removing water (called “dewatering,” i.e. removing water droplets by moving them with the wind force of air for discharge from the outlets of the individual channels) as well as drying of the interiors of the individual channels in the endoscope, for completion of the series of steps. It will be appreciated that even in the case where the endoscope is provided with a front water-supply channel, for example, the interior of the front water-supply channel can be washed, disinfected and dried in the same manner as explained above.
The endoscope washing/disinfecting apparatus which can wash/disinfect the interiors of the channels as well as the outer surface of the endoscope, as described above, is well known as described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-111725, for example.
When air is simultaneously discharged from a plurality of ports after performing washing/disinfection to dewater the channels having different diameter, a smaller-diameter channel may suffer from difficulty in dewatering due to its so much the larger channel resistance. The endoscope washing/disinfecting apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-111725 takes a measure for this difficulty. In particular, the endoscope washing/disinfecting apparatus disclosed in this patent document is so arranged that a fine hole is formed in the washing tube connecting between the port and the connector port of the small-diameter channel in light of the above difficulty, so that the small-diameter channel can be efficiently dewatered by removing water therefrom in short time through the fine hole in the washing tube.
In order to achieve good efficiency at the steps of washing and disinfecting the endoscope, there is a demand, recently, for an endoscope washing/disinfecting apparatus which enables simultaneous washing/disinfection of two endoscopes. In this case, as a matter of course, the interiors of the two endoscopes have also to be completely washed/disinfected.